Beth was woken by the sound of Daryl groaning; she turned, bleary eyed, to look at him. He was lying on his back, one arm slung over his face.

'Hey,' Beth said softly, her voice croaky. 'You okay?'

Daryl grunted.

'Head hurts,'

Beth chuckled, settling herself down against the pillow; she was unsure of the time, but it felt late. The house around them seemed quiet, as did Alexandria outside, and Beth supposed most of the town were sleeping off their hangovers.

'I'm not surprised,' she said quietly. 'Knocking back whiskey like it was water.'

'Urgh,' Daryl groaned, his face still covered. 'Don't.'

'I didn't mind,' Beth shrugged, 'it was nice to have you a bit more relaxed.'

Daryl turned slowly to look at her from under his arm.

'Last night,' Beth grinned, watching as his eyes searched her face. 'Didn't know you could be so… demanding.'

Daryl groaned again, turning his face back under his arm as Beth saw the blush creep up his neck into his cheeks. She laughed.

'Don't shy away from me,' She said, leaning across to place a hand on his bare chest. 'I liked it.'

'Yer gonna be th'death o'me,' he sighed, as Beth snuggled into him, revelling in the warmth of him against her.

'Eh, you've said that before,' she shrugged.

Daryl huffed out a laugh, shaking his head. He lowered his arm and caught Beth's hand, raising it to his lips to kiss it.

'So I can expect more of that, then?' Beth asked. Daryl laughed against her hand.

'Nah,' he laughed. 'Think y'forget how old I am. Gonna need a couple'a days.'

'You're as old as you think you are,' Beth said.

'Better off being as old as you think I am,' he said, laying their hands on his chest.

Beth shrugged.

'Maybe,' she said. 'Okay. I'll give you a while then… couple of hours.'

Daryl sighed, but he was smiling.

'You got plans for today?' Beth asked, leaning her head into him.

'Nah,' Daryl sighed, 'Rick wants t'go out again soon but I don't reckon he'll be out'a bed any time soon.'

Beth giggled.

'Not if you're anything to go by,' she said.

'Mm,' he nodded, his dark hair scratching against the white pillow. 'He drank about as much as me.'

Beth shook her head, smiling.

'Reckon we can get away with th'day in bed,' he said, ending on a yawn.

'Oh yeah?' Beth grinned, wriggling her body up close to him.

Daryl laughed.

'Damn, girl, what did I just say?'

'Alright, alright,' Beth laughed, 'I'll leave your old body to recover.'

Daryl growled, turning over onto his side to look at her.

'Watch ya mouth,' he said darkly, but Beth only grinned.

'It's good to be back with you,' she said softly. 'I'm glad you got back safe.'

'Mm,' Daryl just nodded.

Her hand free from his, Beth moved it to his arm, where she began to rub it slowly up and down, feeling the warmth of his bicep beneath her hand.

'What was it like out there?' She asked quietly. 'After the herd split off.'

'Me, Sasha an' Abraham tried t'keep 'em on track,' he shrugged. 'We run in't'a some people and got split up. We took 'em out but it set us back.'

'What kind of people?' Beth asked, a trickle of worry tracing its way up her spine.

'Not good people,' Daryl said, 'but don' worry about it now. They're dead.'

Beth nodded, but that trickle of fear had found her, and it wasn't so easy to dismiss.

'Hey,' Daryl said gruffly. 'Don't worry 'bout it now, okay?'

Beth sighed.

'Okay.' She nodded.

With a sigh, she pulled herself up and out of the bed, heading for the small bathroom; her lower back was aching, and she felt sore. Maybe last nights heavy session hadn't been such a good idea after all.

After their session Beth had washed, but she had climbed back into bed and fallen asleep naked, so now she stood in the small bathroom, gazing down at her stomach. Over the last week, it seemed to have expanded suddenly. It still wasn't too big, but it was there, rounding out at the belly button and curving up under her breasts. She ran her hand across it as she sat down to pee, feeling the strangely hard pressure of it.

As she stood up to wash her hands, Beth felt a strange fluttering sensation a few inches below her bely button. Her hands still wet, she paused, pressing them to her belly. She could not feel anything on the outside, but inside something was definitely moving. Slowly, she walked back out in to the bedroom.

Daryl had been falling back to sleep, but he opened his eyes to look at Beth as she came back in to the room. Seeing her face, he pushed himself up until he was sitting.

'What? What is it?' He asked, his brow furrowing. 'What's wrong?'

'Nothing,' Beth said slowly, raising her eyes from her belly to look at Daryl. 'I just think – I think I felt something.'

'The baby?' Daryl asked, and Beth noticed he looked scared.

'I think so,' Beth said. 'It wasn't like… a kick. Just a sort of fluttering. A kind of rippling.'

'Can I – I mean could I feel it?' Daryl asked, his voice quiet.

'I don't know,' Beth said quietly as she climbed back on to the bed. 'Try.'

Gingerly, almost as if he was frightened Beth's skin would sear him, Daryl placed his hand on her stomach. Beth took it in her own hands and lowered it slightly to where she had felt the movement.

They stayed like this for a moment, Beth holding her breath. Then Daryl looked up at her, his blue eyes connecting with hers. He shook his head.

Beth sighed.

'It was just a little something,' she said softly. 'Might not have even been the baby.'

Daryl nodded, but Beth could see he looked disappointed. It was strange, she thought, how quickly he was coming around to the idea of the baby.

Beth pushed herself back up, noticing she was feeling a little unsteady on her feet, and pulled on some knickers and a top, then climbed back beneath the covers with him.

He drew an arm around her and pulled her close to him, rubbing a hand across her back.

'Never thought I'd be here,' he murmured into her hair. 'Try'na feel m'baby move.'

'Mm,' Beth murmured back, snuggling her face close to his chest. 'I think you'll make a great daddy.'

Daryl was quiet for a moment.

'Y'think?' He asked quietly.

Beth leant her head back to look up at him.

'Absolutely,' she said softly.

He looked down at her, his eyes searching her face, then he smiled.

'Thanks,' he said.

She raised her hand to stroke his face, her thumb rubbing circles across his cheek.

'I'm glad I'm doing this with you,' she said quietly.

He leant down and kissed her head, making her both smile and blush. Feeling content, she lowered her hand down to his side, running it down over his warm skin. He too had fallen asleep with no clothes on, so her hand was able to travel down the length of his side and over his hip with no distraction.

Daryl had closed his eyes, evidentially still tired, and Beth could tell from his breathing that he was content, too. Her own eyes fluttering shut, Beth continued to trail her hand up and down his body, relishing the dips and curves of him, the muscles of his thighs, the soft dip of his stomach.

Sleepily, Beth rolled over, her arm going numb, so she was facing away from Daryl; she backed into him and he draped an arm over her, resting it gently on her growing belly. Beth moved herself back in to him so that her back was flush against his warm chest, enjoying the comfort of his touch. His hand moved up to cup her breast through her tank top, and Beth felt a growing warmth in the pit of her stomach as her heart rate began to pick up. Almost unconsciously, she wriggled herself back in to him, until she felt him beginning to harden behind her, pressing gently into the curve of her buttocks.

Daryl took her hardening nipple between his fingers and moved in to gently kiss her neck, sending shivers all through her body as her breathing shuddered.

Unable to help herself, Beth moved her legs, allowing him to move one of his own between them, pressing firmly against her crotch. She let out a little groan.

'Mmm,' Daryl moaned in to her neck, his hand moving down, across her tiny bump, down to the front of her underwear. Slowly, he pushed his hands inside the fabric, gently moving his fingers down to her centre as Beth grew wetter around him. She moaned again at the contact.

Daryl rubbed his middle finger over her most sensitive spot, feeling her grind her hips back in to him, then he moved down and pushed the same finger inside of her, making her gasp. As he worked his hands, he leant in and bit lightly at her lower ear, listening to her groan softly. Her legs slightly parted like such, Beth could feel his own hardness, unrestricted by any clothing, pushing at her.

'Thought you needed time?' She murmured.

Daryl huffed out a laugh that tickled her neck.

''parently not,' he said gruffly, as he slowly began to move Beth's underwear down over her thighs.

He held one of her legs up as he positioned himself; Beth leant a hand down between her legs to help guide him, directing him inside of her. He pushed in and Beth took a shuddering breath, whimpering lightly as he pushed himself fully inside.

He allowed her to settle around him for a moment, before placing a firm hand on her hip and beginning to thrust; both parties were still sleepy, and it was nice, Beth thought happily, as they lay together, curled up in one another, connected in the most intimate way.

Daryl moved in and out of her slowly, moaning softly against the back of her neck, his hot breath doing wonders to add to the pleasure Beth was receiving. She closed her eyes, basking in the feeling of him up inside of her, pushing herself back down on to him, his fingers digging in to her hip.

'Different rhythm to last night,' she said softly, her voice husky.

'Mm,' Daryl breathed against her neck. 'Y'keep bringin' tha' up. Anyone would think y'liked it rough.'

Beth felt herself blush, but she grinned.

'Maybe I do,' she breathed, pushing herself back down on him, feeling his hands tighten on her hips.

'Like being told what t'do?' He asked roughly.

'Yeah,' Beth breathed. 'Some times. But it's nice to go slow, too.'

'Make yer mind up,' Daryl said.

'If you're inside me I don't care how you go,' she breathed, and Daryl groaned into her neck.

'Ya happy for me t'go like this?' Daryl asked, pulling himself until he was almost entirely out of her, leaving just the tip. He paused, then slowly pushed back in. Beth groaned loudly.

'Yeah,' she breathed.

'Yeah?' Daryl asked, repeating the process.

Beth bit her lip and let him do it several times, her heart pounding in her chest.

Daryl reached his hand around and began to circle her most sensitive area again, and Beth felt herself begin to shake. The deliberate slowness was almost torture, the pure pleasure that built up and waved across her almost too much to take; she found it hard to breath.

Daryl pushed deep inside of her with a grunt, taking her leg and pulling it back over his hip, then he began to thrust harder, moving his hand back down to her crotch.

Beth began to whimper as the pleasure built up, swirling out from where Daryl's fingers worked, meeting with him hitting her on the inside until it all collided.

Daryl, clearly lost in his own primal pleasure, was groaning behind her, his breath hard and fast.

Beth reached behind her and grabbed a handful of his hair.

'I'm gonna-' she gasped.

'Come fer me, girl,' Daryl grunted, and Beth did as she was told, unravelling around him, pushing herself down hard onto him as she did so, feeling him deep inside as she spasmed around him.

Daryl sped up, gasping as he chased her orgasm with his own.

He came hard, digging his finger nails into her hips as he did, breathing out her name.

Afterwards, they lay together, and Daryl allowed himself to fall out of her, leaving the remnants of his pleasure to spill out too.

Beth, too tired to care, just closed her eyes.

'If that ain't a damn hangover cure I don't know what is,' he sighed, rolling on to his back.

Beth just laughed huskily, her body still shaking; she rolled on to her back too, laying her hands on her stomach; she let out a deep breath, clearing her head.

They lay beside one another for a while as they regained their breath, lying quietly in the warm bedroom. Daryl let out a heavy sigh, rubbing his eyes.

'Your head still hurting you?' Beth asked him softly.

'Yeah,' He groaned, 'need some water.'

'I'll get you some,' Beth said, sitting herself up with a yawn.

'Nah you're a'right,' Daryl said, looking at her through bleary eyes.

Beth shrugged.

'I don't mind,' she said.

Daryl nodded as Beth climbed out of the bed, pulled on some pants, and quietly padded across the room. Her mind was on Daryl as she headed down the stairs, so at first she did not spot the sleeping bundle that lay on their sofa. It was only as she made her way across to the kitchen that she realised she was not alone.

Beth stopped just as the bundle moved, groaning and opening their eyes.

'Jessie?' Beth frowned.

It took Jessie a moment to focus on Beth through bleary, blood-shot eyes; her blonde hair was unkempt and there were dark circles beneath her eyes. Her face was screwed up in pain as she looked across at Beth.

'What're you doing here?' Beth asked softly as Jessie rubbed her eyes.

'I –' Jessie paused to clear her throat. 'I wanted to get home but – uh – your door was open.'

Beth felt herself beginning to smile.

'You were too drunk to get home?'

Jessie tried to sit up, but fell back with a groan.

'Let me get you some water.' Beth said.

Jessie nodded lightly, her eyes shut. Beth ran her a glass of water then took it over to her, sitting herself on the adjacent sofa. Jessie pulled herself around so she was sitting too and sipped at the water, slowly.

'What happened?' Beth asked.

Jessie glanced up at her for a moment before looking back at the glass of water she was holding against her knee with shaking hands.

'I went home with Rick,' she said.

'Okay,' Beth said, keeping here eyes on her lowered profile. Jessie stayed silent, so Beth pushed. 'How did you end up here?'

'I wanted to go home,' Jessie said.

'I get that, but if you were that drunk why not just stay on a sofa next door?' Beth asked.

Jessie swallowed; she looked back at up Beth, and Beth was surprised to see her hazel eyes were glistening with tears. She looked back down at her lap.

'We slept together. Me and Rick.'

Beth felt her heart plummet.

'Okay,' she said softly.

'Afterwards I – I just needed to get out. I tried to go home but I guess I was just too wasted. The door was open so I came in here.' Jessie buried her face in her hands with a groan. 'How can I have been so stupid!'

'Hey,' Beth said softly, 'you were drunk. You both were, right?'

'Yes,' Jessie said. 'Yeah, but still, I mean – we should know better – I should know better.'

'So what now?' Beth asked softly.

'I don't know,' Jessie shook her head. 'I can't think. I need to go home, clean up.'

Beth nodded, deciding not to push her friend any more.

'Can I use your bathroom, first?' Jessie asked sheepishly.

'Of course,' Beth said. 'Are you going to be okay?'

'Yeah,' Jessie said, getting up on to unsteady feet. 'I'm fine. Go back to bed, I'll see myself out.'

Beth looked at her, but Jessie just nodded earnestly.

A little bewildered at what she had just heard, Beth wandered back to the kitchen as Jessie disappeared into the downstairs bathroom. A fresh glass of water in hand, Beth turned to head back upstairs, just as Noah appeared.

'Hey,' he said, 'did you speak with Jessie?'

'I did,' Beth said.

'I heard her come in last night. She crashed on the couch so I covered her with a blanket.' Noah said.

Beth nodded.

'How is she?' Noah asked.

'Suffering,' Beth shrugged. 'Too much free wine.'

Noah nodded with a smile Beth knew as understanding; he had partaken in his own glass or two.

She excused herself then, taking the water back upstairs to Daryl, who had fallen back in to an uneasy sleep.

He woke up as she sat back on the bed.

'Thanks,' he grunted, taking the glass from her. He took several long gulps, then looked across at her, his dark, swollen eyes searching her face.

'Wha's th' matter?' He frowned. 'Wha's happened?'

Beth sighed.

'Jessie spent the night on our sofa,' she said. 'She left the party with Rick.'

'D'he sleep wi' her?' He asked.

Beth tilted her head at him.

'Yeah,' she said.

'Saw 'em together at th' party,' Daryl said, going back to his water, and Beth was once again amused and impressed by his observational skills.

'You need more sleep?' Beth asked softly as Daryl leant his head back against the wall.

'Yeah,' he sighed, 'y'mind?'

'Not at all,' Beth smiled, drawing herself down in to the bed beside him.

The rest of Alexandria was taking the day off, so Beth didn't see why she couldn't too.